Whatcom Waterway

Last Updated: August 2020

New fieldwork begins in Phase 2 Areas

Beginning now through late September, contractors will test in-water sediment and survey existing structures and the sea floor in certain areas of the Whatcom Waterway site.  

Whatcom Waterway Blog Post

For more details, visit Ecology's Blog: "Cleaning up: Fieldwork on Bellingham waterfront's largest cleanup site"

En español El Departamento de Ecología le invita a comentar sobre un reporte ambiental para el sitio que está contaminado Whatcom Waterway en Bellingham.   Si le gustaría recibir este documento en español, por favor llame al 509-329-3444 o envíe un correo electrónico a preguntas@ecy.wa.gov.  Traducciones de avisos públicos para los sitios de limpieza de la Bahía de Bellingham se preparan bajo solicitud.

The Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) is Washington’s environmental cleanup law. It provides requirements for contaminated site cleanup and sets standards that protect human health and the environment. Ecology enacts the MTCA and oversees cleanups. The MTCA site cleanup process is completed in steps (see graphic below) over a variable timeline.

• September 2020:  Complete pre-remedial design data collection for Phase 2 areas
• 2021-2023:  Complete engineering design and construction permitting for Phase 2 areas
• 2023:  Begin construction of the Phase 2 areas

Current Whatcom Waterway cleanup site Public Participation Plan: See Exhibit F of Consent Decree 

This plan includes information for the public regarding opportunities to get involved in the cleanup process. The outreach activities and mechanisms presented reflect Ecology’s current plans for keeping the public informed and for receiving information and comments from the public.

In July 2015, the Port of Bellingham, with Ecology oversight, began construction activities to address contaminated sediment within Phase 1 areas of the Whatcom Waterway site. The work was completed in 2016 and included:

• Removing 111,446 cubic yards of contaminated sediment
• Removing 9,962 tons of soil and 265 tons of creosote-treated timber
• Removing 5,146 tons of concrete and asphalt rubble (over 98% was reused or recycled)
• Isolating contaminated sediment with 102,950 cubic yards of clean material
• Installing 36,600 square feet of sheet pile walls on the north side of the waterway to support the upland and prevent contaminated groundwater from entering the waterway

To ensure the completed cleanup protects human health and the environment in the long term, scientists are testing sediment, crabs and clams for contaminants.

Go to “View Electronic Documents” in the right sidebar to view all monitoring reports.

These Phase 1 Areas Compliance Monitoring Reports linked below and in the Document Repository contain appendices with large volumes of laboratory data.  Please contact the site manager or public involvement coordinator for file download (see right sidebar for contact information).

Site History
The Whatcom Waterway site is more than 200 acres in Bellingham Bay along the downtown Bellingham waterfront. The site includes underwater land and a former industrial waste treatment lagoon.

Contamination at the site is the result of operations at the former Georgia-Pacific pulp and paper plant.

G-P used mercury in its chlor-alkali plant to produce chlorine and sodium hydroxide for bleaching and pulping wood fiber. Wastewater containing mercury was discharged directly into Bellingham Bay from 1965 to 1971. G-P installed treatment measures that reduced mercury releases to the bay until 1979. Construction of an industrial waste treatment lagoon (sometimes referred to as an aerated stabilization basin, or ASB), halted discharges of untreated wastewater from the chlor-alkali plant to the bay in 1979. The G-P pulp mill closed in 2001.

Also in 2001, as an interim measure, G-P cleaned up sediment and restored habitat in the log pond portion of the site with Ecology oversight.

In 2005, the Port of Bellingham acquired 137 acres of waterfront property from G-P, including property within the Whatcom Waterway site, accepting lead responsibility for cleaning up the site with Ecology supervision. Other parties involved include the city of Bellingham, state Department of Natural Resources and a private company, Meridian-Pacific LLC.

Contamination
Key contaminants include mercury and phenolic compounds. These contaminants are in concentrations that exceed standards established under the state's cleanup law, the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA), and must be addressed.

Bellingham Bay Demonstration Pilot
The Whatcom Waterway site is one of 12 sites coordinated through the Bellingham Bay Demonstration Pilot.  The Pilot is a bay-wide multi-agency effort to clean up contaminated sediment, control sources of sediment contamination, and restore habitat, with consideration for land and water uses. In 2000, participants in this initiative developed the Bellingham Bay Comprehensive Strategy.

For a list of all Whatcom Waterway site documents, go to “View Electronic Documents” which is also available in the right sidebar.

The Phase 1 Areas Compliance Monitoring Reports linked below contain appendices with large volumes of laboratory data.  Please contact the site manager or public involvement coordinator for file download (see right sidebar for contact information).

• Phase 1 Areas Year 3 Compliance Monitoring Report (July 2020)
• Phase 1 Areas Year 1 Compliance Monitoring Report (April 2019)
• Final Phase 1 Areas As-Built Report (September 2018):  Report, Tables, Figures; Appendices A-B; Appendix C; Appendices D-M
• Sampling and Quality Assurance Project Plan for Compliance Monitoring - Phase 1 (June 2016)
• Consent Decree First Amendment, final (August 2011)